Here we go again... How many times have we seen this gas vs diesel debate lately?

Don't let this guy get under your skin Big Orn, it's not worth it.

 

I ain't...just don't like to put up with that diesel stink.

And there's no telling how many times we've heard (not just here, but other forums) how great the Duramax diesel is - how powerful and all, and no telling how many times we've have to console the same person because it wasn't all that after all - especially when the truck itself is just not tough enough to hold up to real work...

It won't be long...

 

Back to the OP (and I can't believe it took 33 posts to ask this)
Johnjk, What size tires are you turning?

 

I have a truck just like yours and I had a tt the same wieght. I took it down to the mohican valley area in ohio. There are alot of steep grad changes once you get into ashland county. It's like ridding on a roller coaster. She would bog down a little but not that much. On the way back I hit one real steep grade at about 55 started slowing down too about 45. It was still in 3rd with the torqe converter locked. So a gave here some good throttle and she juped straight too 2nd pulled too 4500 and shifted. I looked down and I was doing 65. I had to hit the brakes at the top. She had no problems. Found out latter it had bad plugs too boot. Sounds like you have something wrong my man.

 

I live in Holmes county which is next door to Ashland and there is not many straight and level roads in the entire county and no freeways/highways. I noticed that many work trucks around here that are V8/V10 are loaded down and/or towing heavy. Never see any of them struggle on our hilly/curvy roads here. I have never had a chance to load/tow mine that heavy yet but after watching all these guys I'm not worried about anything I would need to do with my truck.

 

Ultraute, tires are stock. Good question though.


X_Hemi_Guy, I don't think I'll be encountering any grades close to this any time soon. The next time I take that route I will probably unload my Jeep (4500 lbs) from the trailer and have my wife drive it up, just to be safe.

And no, I did not intend to turn this into a diesel vs. gas debate. I'm still somewhat new to towing heavy loads like this and I was just trying to get some feedback on whether or not I was asking too much of this truck. I see most people are able to pull relatively steep grades with no problems, just nothing quite as extreme as 25%.

I am kicking around the idea of regearing it though. I've done an 8.8 and a D44. I think I can handle the D50 and the 10.5.

 

I think you'd be happy with more gear.
JL

 

johnjk,

From someone that has HAD 3.73's and now HAS 4.30's...I can honestly say...the towing performance between the two is very noticeable. I tow a heavier TT now with the 4.30's and have pulled some good hills easier than the lighter TT did.

The 'secret' with the V10 is DO NOT BABY HER...it took me some time to realize that if I p@ssy footed around trying to 'save fuel'...that only got you BEHIND in the power curve...you can't be afraid to be aggressive when approaching a hill...well all but that 25% CLIFF you climbed! LOL

With my 3.73's...it was weird...that you could be tooling along and if you weren't paying much attention and let the RPMs drop by only a few hundred...you were in that 'catch up mode'...but if you stayed aggressive...well you could pull things without downshifting...

With the 4.30's...you have a much wider window of NOT losing the band...that 300 RPM increase does make that much of a difference!

So...if you do decide to regear...the 2V V10 and 4.30 combo is IMO PERFECT...and I roll down the road with my Excursion at 17,000# combined...so I'm no lightweight...there certainly are heavier combos out there...but I'm EXTREMELY happy with the performance of this combo...

Good luck and keep us posted!...glad this is back on YOUR topic.

joe.

 

The D50 is really a D44 gear with a D60 case, so it's a piece of cake.

The 10.5 is like the 8.8, in which it uses a crush-sleeve to set the pinion bearing preload.

The way to set the pinion depth on the 8.8 is to use a special tool, a gauge, that is really a dummy pinion. What this means is, if you reuse the shims from behind the rear pinion bearing on the new pinion, the depth should be set correctly. That is, assuming you use Ford stuff, I wouldn't bet the aftermarket depth would be perfect... but it's worth a shot.

As always, check the gear contact pattern and backlash after assembly - don't assume

 

Re the post on those hills in Ashland and Holmes County in Ohio. We are a bit North of them in Lorain County and have been on those hills and roads in Ashland and Holmes county many, many times pulling our 13K plus 5th wheel with our 05 V-10.Those hills are no challenge to the V-10 and there are many steep but short grades there.The diesel is of little advantage in that kind of terrian.the diesel will pull them better but not 6,000 $ better.

 

the grade the original post talked about I believe is a short very steep access to a campground. No way to get up any speed before hitting this hill as it comes from a parking lot entrance. I had a 454 Motorhome, that could barley chug up that hill, but had little problem with most other grades in the N Georgia Mountains.

By the way my V10 with 110K on it pulls my 6500+ Lb trailer at 60 mph getting 13-14 MPG. And my 7.3 diesel did not come close to those numbers. Also diesel here is now 40-50 cents a gallon more $

 

Most of the steepest grades are on back roads so to speak with little room to get a good run at it.

I went up an 18% grade in NE PA this winter to get up to a state park to do some fishing on the lake at the top of the mountain. The 18% was for about 1/2 mile but due to turns you couldn't get a good run at it. I was empty (Except for couple hund. lbs in the bed) so I had no problem at all, I could see though how hauling a heavy load up that grade could be slow going.

 

Sorry, you were doing great up till that point. I'm not buying that. There isn't a guy on here that would claim 13-14 average *EMPTY* with a V10.

Is this a 2WD, regular cab, shortbox, stripped out truck?

 

Actually, while people don't make a big deal over it, the two valvers do get better mpg than the 2005+ models. Mine's very stripped down, and its only seen city/suburban driving empty but in the summer I get 11 mpg, and its a dually. I could see 13 just with the interstate travel.

Also, for reasons that totally escape me, the Ex's always get better mileage than the trucks. Of course he's actually claiming 13-14 while towing 6500 pounds, which does seem exagerated.....

 

Hear! Hear!